Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge. Test at a Glance. About This Test. Test Code 0353

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1 Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge (0353) Test at a Glance Test Name Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge Test Code 0353 Time 1 hour Number of Questions 60 Format Multiple-choice questions I Content Categories Approximate Number of Questions Approximate Percentage of Examination III II I. Understanding Exceptionalities % II. Legal and Societal Issues % III. Delivery of Services to Students with Disabilities % About This Test The Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge test is designed for examinees who plan to teach in a special education program at any grade level from preschool through grade 12. The 60 multiple-choice questions assess the examinee s knowledge of the basic principles of special education, focusing on three major content areas: Understanding Exceptionalities, Legal and Societal Issues, and Delivery of Services to Students with Disabilities. Questions may address disabilities of any degree varying from mild to profound, but extensive knowledge of individual specialty areas, such as education of students with low vision or hearing loss, is not required. This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score. 1

2 Topics Covered Descriptions of each of the content areas covered by the test are provided below. For each content area, the approximate percentage of examination questions pertaining to that area is shown. Not every subtopic in a given content area appears on any one form of the test, but every form of the test contains questions on a broad range of subtopics. I. Understanding Exceptionalities Human development and behavior as related to students with disabilities, including Social and emotional development and behavior language development and behavior cognition physical development, including motor and sensory Characteristics of students with disabilities, including the influence of cognitive factors affective and social-adaptive factors, including cultural, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic factors genetic, medical, motor, sensory, and chronological age factors Basic concepts in special education, including definitions of all major categories and specific disabilities, as well as the incidence and prevalence of various types of disabilities the causation and prevention of disability the nature of behaviors, including frequency, duration, intensity, and degrees of severity the classification of students with disabilities; labeling of students; ADHD; the implications of the classification process for the persons classified, etc. the influence of level of severity and presence of multiple exceptionalities on students with disabilities The influence of (an) exceptional condition(s) throughout an individual s life span II. Legal and Societal Issues Federal laws and legal issues related to special education, including IDEA 2004 Section 504 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Important legal issues, such as those raised by the following cases: Rowley re: program appropriateness, Tatro re: related services, Honig re: discipline, Oberti re: inclusion The school s connections with the families, prospective and actual employers, and communities of students with disabilities; for example: teacher advocacy for students and families, developing student self-advocacy parent partnerships and roles public attitudes toward individuals with disabilities cultural and community influences on public attitudes toward individuals with disabilities interagency agreements cooperative nature of the transition planning process Historical movements/trends affecting the connections between special education and the larger society; for example: deinstitutionalization and community-based placements inclusion application of technology transition advocacy accountability and meeting educational standards 2

3 III. Delivery of Services to Students with Disabilities Background knowledge, including conceptual approaches underlying service delivery to students with disabilities, including cognitive, constructivist, psychodynamic, behavioral, sociological, ecological, therapeutic (speech/ language, physical, and occupational), and medical approaches placement and program issues such as early intervention; least restrictive environment; inclusion; role of Individualized Education Program (IEP) team; due process guidelines; categorical, noncategorical, and cross-categorical programs; continuum of educational and related services; related services and their integration into the classroom, including roles of other professionals; accommodations, including access to assistive technology; transition of students into and within special education placements; community-based training; postschool transitions integrating best practices from multidisciplinary research and professional literature into the educational setting Curriculum and instruction and their implementation across the continuum of educational placements, including the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)/ Individualized Education Program (IEP) process Instructional development and implementation; for example: instructional activities, curricular materials and resources, working with classroom and support personnel, tutoring options teaching strategies and methods; for example: modification of materials and equipment, learning centers, facilitated groups, study skills groups, selfmanagement, cooperative learning, diagnosticprescriptive method, modeling, skill drill, guided practice, concept generalization, learning strategy instruction, and direct instruction instructional format and components; for example: small- and large-group instruction, facilitated group strategies, functional academics, general academics with focus on special education, ESL and limited English proficiency, language and literacy acquisition, self-care and daily living skills, prevocational and vocational skills career development and transition issues as related to curriculum design and implementation for students with disabilities according to the criteria of ultimate functioning technology for teaching and learning in special education settings; for example: integrating assistive technology into the classroom; computerassisted instruction; augmentative and alternative communication; adaptive access for microcomputers; positioning and power mobility for students with physical disabilities; accessing and using information technology; use of productivity tools; technology for sensory disabilities; and voice-activated, speech-synthesis, speechrecognition, and word-prediction software Assessment, including use of assessment for screening, diagnosis, placement, and the making of instructional decisions; for example: how to select and conduct nondiscriminatory and appropriate assessments; how to interpret standardized and specialized assessment results; how to use evaluation results effectively in development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)/Individualized Education Program (IEP); how to prepare written reports and communicate findings procedures and test materials, both formal and informal, typically used for prereferral, referral, eligibility, placement, and ongoing program monitoring how to select, construct, conduct, and modify nondiscriminatory, developmentally and chronologically age-appropriate informal assessments, including teacher-made tests, curriculum-based assessment, and alternatives to norm-referenced testing (including observation, anecdotal records, error analysis, miscue analysis, self-evaluation questionnaires and interviews, journals and learning logs, portfolio assessment) 3

4 Structuring and managing the learning environment, including structuring the learning environment; for example: the physical-social environment for learning (expectations, rules, consequences, consistency, attitudes, lighting, acoustic characteristics, seating, access, safety provisions, and strategies for positive interactions); transitions between lessons and activities; grouping of students; integration of related services (occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy) classroom management techniques; for example: behavioral analysis (identification and definition of antecedents, target behavior, and consequent events); behavioral interventions; functional analysis; data-gathering procedures (such as anecdotal data, frequency methods, and interval methods); self-management strategies and reinforcement; cognitive-behavioral interventions; social skills training; behavior management strategies Professional roles, including specific roles and responsibilities of teachers; for example: teacher as a collaborator with other teachers, teacher educators, parents, community groups, and outside agencies; teacher as a multidisciplinary team member; maintaining effective and efficient documentation; selecting appropriate environments and services for students; critical evaluation and use of professional literature and organizations; reflecting on one s own teaching; teacher s role in a variety of teaching settings (self-contained classroom, resource room, itinerant, co-teacher in inclusion setting, etc.); and maintaining student confidentiality influence of teacher attitudes, values and behaviors on the learning of exceptional students communicating with parents, guardians and appropriate community collaborators; for example: directing parents and guardians to parenteducators or to other groups and resources; writing reports directly to parents; meeting with parents to discuss student concerns, progress, and IEP s; encouraging parent participation; reciprocal communication and training with other service providers 4

5 Sample Test Questions The sample questions that follow illustrate the kinds of questions on the test. They are not, however, representative of the entire scope of the test in either content or difficulty. Answers with explanations follow the questions. Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by four suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case. Note: In the sample questions and answers, the 2004 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will be referred to as IDEA An Individualized Education Program will be referred to as an IEP. 1. Which of the following is an accurate statement about what IDEA requires for any IEP? (A) The IEP must include a multiyear outline of instructional objectives. (B) The IEP must include a section on assistive devices, regardless of the nature or degree of the student s disability. (C) The IEP must be in effect before special education services or related services are provided. (D) The IEP must not be made available to any school personnel except special education teachers. 2. Michael, a high school student with a learning disability, receives resource-room instruction in English. Michael s parents have requested a conference with the resourceroom teacher two months after the start of the school year to discuss his progress in writing. Which of the following would be the most appropriate item for the teacher s agenda for this meeting? (A) Ask the parents to compare Michael s written work with that of another student. (B) Ask the parents to propose new instructional objectives for the written-expression section of Michael s IEP. (C) Offer a comparison of Michael s recent grades on writing assignments with his achievement-test scores from the previous year. (D) Show the parents a folder of Michael s written work, and discuss apparent strengths and weaknesses. 3. As an intervention, response cost is best suited for which of the following purposes? (A) Improving students understanding of directions (B) Increasing the speed of performance in mathematics (C) Decreasing the incidence of angry outbursts (D) Decreasing excessive competitiveness among students 4. Which of the following is a nondegenerative disorder that affects motor function as a result of brain injury that occurred before, during, or shortly after birth? (A) Multiple sclerosis (B) Cerebral palsy (C) Muscular dystrophy (D) Cystic fibrosis 5. Under the provisions of IDEA, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for a 2-year-old child will most probably include (A) a budget for early-intervention services (B) plans for making the transition into preschool (C) techniques for the family to use in introducing academic subjects (D) a recommendation of counseling for the child s siblings 6. In inclusion settings, the most appropriate role for the special education teacher is to (A) co-teach with the general education teacher (B) serve as an instructional assistant to the general education teacher (C) observe the general education teacher at regular intervals and write formal evaluations of the teacher for the principal (D) manage the behavior of the students receiving special education while the general education teacher presents academic content 5

6 7. Which of the following statements best defines the ecological perspective on emotional and behavioral disorders? (A) Poisons in the physical environment cause emotional and behavioral disorders. (B) Emotional and behavioral disorders involve interactions between the child and the child s social environment. (C) Children with emotional and behavioral disorders need exposure to an ever-broadening social environment. (D) Inclusion settings are less beneficial for students with emotional and behavioral disorders than for students with other types of disabilities. 8. Which of the following approaches ensures that teachers do not mistake exceptionality for ethnicity? (A) Acknowledging different cultural perspectives (B) Assuming all individuals in a particular cultural group will act the same (C) Demonstrating an attitude of openness toward other cultural groups (D) Interpreting all behavior on the basis of norms for the dominant cultural group 9. Which of the following is the basic rationale for using task analysis in instructing students with disabilities? (A) Instruction is delivered in steps that are easily achievable and that promote student success. (B) Students can eventually learn to analyze assigned tasks themselves. (C) Students learn classification skills by identifying similar aspects of different kinds of tasks. (D) Instruction can be delivered effectively to many students at once without need for individualization. 10. Mary is a seventh-grade student who has a learning disability. She attends a large school that groups students by demonstrated ability. Her mathematics achievement score indicates that she has a stanine of 9. Which of the following mathematics classes would most probably be appropriate for Mary? (A) Remedial mathematics (B) Functional mathematics (C) Standard mathematics (D) Advanced mathematics 11. Mustafa is a 5-year-old who has been assessed and found to have a mild expressive language delay. His hearing is normal, and his functioning in all areas other than expressive language is age appropriate. The placement that would be most appropriate for Mustafa is probably (A) a self-contained special education class with speech and language services (B) part-time placement in a resource room for mathematics and reading (C) full-time general education placement with speech and language services (D) full-time general education placement with mathematics and reading support Directions: The question below differs from the preceding questions in that it contains the word NOT. So that you understand fully the basis that is to be used in selecting the answer, be sure to read the question carefully. 12. IDEA 2004 does NOT include specific provisions for students who have been identified as having (A) autism (B) language impairments (C) multiple disabilities (D) attention deficit disorder 6

7 Answers 1. The correct answer is C. According to IDEA, an IEP must be in effect before special education and related services are provided to an eligible student. None of the other choices is required. The objectives in an IEP are ordinarily for a single year, so A is not correct. B is not the correct answer because what IDEA requires is that an IEP include a statement of the services and aids to be provided to the child. For some students with disabilities, this will include assistive devices, but many students with disabilities do not require such devices. Although special education teachers certainly have access to their students IEP s, IDEA requires that regular education teachers and other service providers who are responsible for implementing a student s IEP have access to it as well, so D is not the correct answer. 2. The correct answer is D. Of the choices given, discussing examples of Michael s work best addresses the purpose of the meeting. Asking parents to compare their child s work with that of another student, as in choice OR answer choice A, is not appropriate. B is not correct because the conference is not an IEP meeting, and because, while the parents have input into their child s IEP, it is not appropriate for the teacher to ask parents to propose objectives. C is not correct because the comparison it suggests is unlikely to be informative. 3. The correct answer is C. Response cost needs to be tied to the occurrence of a specific, observable behavior. Only C meets this criterion. 4. The correct answer is B. None of the other conditions occurs as a result of brain injury. 5. IDEA requires that an IFSP include plans for the transition to preschool, so B is the best answer. IFSP s do not include budgets, so A is not the correct answer. The techniques and recommendation cited in choices C and D are optional in an IFSP, but, unlike the transition plan mentioned in B, they are not required by IDEA. 6. The correct answer is A. In inclusion settings, an appropriate role for the special education teacher is as a co-teacher with the general education teacher. The special education teacher should not be the assistant to the general education teacher, so B is not correct. While the special education teacher may observe the general education teacher and offer recommendations on working with classified students, this is done in the role of collaborating professional, not in the role of evaluator, so C is not correct. D is not correct because, although the special education teacher may have primary responsibility for behavior management with certain special education students, the teachers should share responsibility for both behavior management and academic content. 7. B is the correct answer. The ecological perspective emphasizes the importance of interactions between the child and the child s environment in emotional and behavioral disorders. A is not correct; the ecological perspective on emotional and behavioral disorders does not refer to the influence of toxins in the physical environment. Neither C nor D defines this perspective. 8. A is the correct answer. Culture is the way in which each person is socialized from infancy to perceive and interpret what is happening and to determine the appropriate way to behave. Acknowledging those differences A allows a teacher to take into account a student s cultural background. B is incorrect because a student s culture consists of a broad range of characteristics not necessarily attributed to stereotypical notions. C Simply demonstrating an attitude of openness does not indicate that the teacher will be able to differentiate between behaviors and disabilities. D is not correct because the student may belong to a different cultural group than the dominant one and thereby exhibit behaviors that are different. 9. A is the correct answer. It provides two key justifications for the use of task analysis. B is incorrect because, although the skill it describes is a possible benefit of using task analysis, it is not the basic rationale for the use of task analysis. C is not correct because the learning of classification skills is not a primary objective of task analysis. D is not correct because individualization of instruction is always important in instructing students with disabilities. 10. The correct answer is D because Mary s achievement score indicates high mathematical ability; 9 is the highest possible stanine score. On the basis of the information presented, the most appropriate placement is the advanced class. None of the other choices is appropriate to her high mathematical ability. Despite her learning disabilities, it is entirely possible that she could, perhaps with support, undertake an advanced class in an area of strength. 11. The best answer is C. Since Mustafa s functioning is age appropriate in most respects, it is probable that he could work at the level of the class in a general education setting as long as he is provided with appropriate support services to address his expressive language deficit. There is no clear justification for a full-time special education setting, as in choice A, as the initial placement for a young child with a very specific expressive language delay and no other disability. There is no evidence that Mustafa needs support for either mathematics or reading, so B and D are not correct. 7

8 12. The correct answer is D. IDEA 2004 makes provision for students who are classified as autistic, A. In B, those students who have a language impairment receive services under the classification of communication handicapped. Students who have multiple disabilities can receive services under the classification of severe and multiple disabilities. D is the only disability indicated that does not have a specific provision. IDEA 2004 does not specifically address attention deficit disorder (ADD); however, students who are diagnosed with ADD can receive services under the classification of other health impaired WEBPDF78 8

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